Theater-chair.



PATENTED AUG. ll, 1908.

R. H. GEHRKE. THEATER CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO 16, 1907 Tl E- E Wihuaaea No. 895,552. PATEN-TBD AUG. `11, 1908.

R. H. GBHRKE.

THEATER. CHAIR. l

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16, 1907.

` 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

@Hoznu PATENTED AUG. ll, 1908,

R. H. GBHRKB.

THEATER CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.16, 1907.

3 SHEBTSFSHEET 3.

IIIIIII 'by the line 5--5 in Fig. 4;

ROBERT HERMAN GEHRKE, OF MERRILL, WISCONSIN.

THE ATER-CHAIR.

Specification o! Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application med December 16, 1907. Serial No. 406,777.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HERMAN GEHRKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrill, in the county of Lincoln and State of Wisconsin, have, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theater-Chairs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvemenly, in chairs for theaters or other auditoriums and its object is to provide a simple and ractical one which may be collapsed and foldled down into the floor. A

With theabove and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyin(r drawings, in which igure 1 is a vertical sectional .view through my improyed chair showing it in its elevated and open position read for use; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing t e back of the chair lowered and the seat folded ready to permit the chair to be swung down into the lloor; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the chair in its lowered position; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the chair in its open position, )arts being in section; Fig. 5 is a iori- '/.onta section taken on the plane indicated lig. 6 is a plan view of the chair and floor, the former being lowered into the latter; and Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views of the latch device for y the back of the chair.

In the drawings 1 'denotes the` flooring, 2 the su porting joists and 3 one of my improvedp chairs which is constructedto fold down intothe floor and to lie flush with the top of the saine. The chair comprises two supporting standards 4 on which 1s slidably mounted a back 5 which carries a folding seat 6 and l'olding arm rests 7. The standards 4 have otl'set lower ends 8, preferably of right angular form, pivoted at 9 to the joists 2 er other suitable supports so that when the standards are swung down to a horizontal )osition the chair back 5 will enter an o )enmg 10 in the floor 1 and form a part o the latter. 'lo permit the chair to be readily raised out of the lloor l. preferably provide a hand opening or recess 11 at the top of the back 5. The standards 4 are locked in their upright position hy pawls 12 which are pivoted intermediate their 4ends at 13 upon said standards and are adapted tohave their i lower ends engage notches or seats 14 formed 1n segmental guide bars 15 preferably also secure( upon the joists 2 as shown. Said lower ends 12 of the pawls are heavier than their upper ends 16 so that they drop by gravity into the seats 14 to automaticallylock the chair in its upright position. Said pawls 'are adapted to be automatically released or dise engaged from the seats 14 by the chair back 5 which when lowered upon the standards 4 1s adapted to depress the upper ends 16 of said pawls as shown in Fig. 2.

The chair back 5 has a straight rear face so l that it may form a part of the Hooring 1 when the chair is lowered, but its front face may be curved to receive the back or upholstered or otherwise finished to make 1t attractive in appearance. Said back 5 .is

esv

slidably mounted upon the upper portions of the standards 4 by provi( ing u on'its vertical edges Ichannel plates or ars 17 which slidably receive the standards as more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Said bac-k. is adapted to be locked 1n either its raised or lowered osition on the standards b means of a latcii device such as the one s own in Figs. 7 and 8. This device comprises'. two bolts 18 carried by the outer ends of rods or links 19 which have their inner ends pivoted to the ends of a lever 20. The latter is fixed at its center to a pivot 21 mounted for rotation in a bearing 22 upon the bottom of the back 5 and provided upon its front end with a hand piece 23. The pivot 21 is actuated formed in the standards 4. .Upper and lower sets of the openings 26 are provided in the standards so that the back will be locked in both its elevated and lowered position. having-the bolts spring projected they w'l automatically engage the openings 26 when the back is raised or lowere( upon the standards, and they may be readily released by simply turning the handle 23.

The: folding seat 6 and arm rests 7 may be of any suitable form and construction and mounted in au suitable manner upon the back 5 but as il ustrated in the drawings the arm rests are pivoted at their inner ends at 27 and are connected by links 28 to the seat 6, which latter has its pivotal connection 29 so constructed that its downward movement will be limitediand it will be retained in its elevated or folded position as is common in theater seats -or chairs.

In order to close the opening in the floor which is leftwhen the chair is elevated to its upright position l employ a platform 30 which is adapted to be automatically raised and lowered as the chair is operated. This platform consists of a suitable body secured to side bars 31 which have their forward ends slidably mounted by engaging them with staples 32 or any other suitable supporting and guide devices arranged upon the joists. Said front ends of the bars 31 are preferably curved downwardly so that the corresponding end of the platform will dron when the ehair is lowered. The rear or inner ends ot the side bars 31 are pivoted to arms S3 which project from the right angular offset lower ends 8 of the standards 4 and are preferably formed integral therewith. These arms 33 are substantially arallel with the standards 4 and are of such ength that when the latter are swung downwardly to the hori- Zontal the platform 3U will be lowered sufficiently to permit the chair back 5 and its attached parts to ,/drop beneath the up er surface of the flooring 1 as will be unt erstood upon reference to Fig. 3.

In operation, when it is desired to lower the chair into the ioor the seat 6 and arm rests 7 are folded by swinging the seat upwardly as shown in Fig. 2. The handle 23 is then turned to release the seat back .5, which latter then drops to the position shown in said figure and is automatically locked by the engagement of the bolts 18 with the lower openings or seats 26 in the standards 4. When the seat back drops to this lowered position it depresses the ends 16 of the pawls 12 and lifts the latter out of their keeper seats 14 so that the standards may swing forwardly and downwardly to lower the chair into the floor. As said standards swing downwardly the platform 30 is lowered owing to the sliding connection at its front end and to the connection of its rear end with the arms 33 on said standards. When it is desired to raise the chair for use the hand is engaged with the recess 11 in the back 5 and the latter is swung upwardly to elevate the standards 4 to their u right position in which they will be locked y the engagement of the pawls 12 with the keeper seats 14. The handle 23 is then turned to disengage the bolts 18 from the standards 4 and the chair back 5 is then slid upwardly upon the standards until the bolts enter the upper openings or seats 2,6 therein. The seats 6 and arm rests 7 may then be lowered by swinging the seat downwardly.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my improved chair is simple, strong, durable and con'iparatively inexpensive in construction and that it may be convenienti qui.

sis-5,552

raised and lowered. lt will be also noted that when elevated it occupies but little space especially when the seat and arm rests are folded, thus enabling the people to more readily pass between the rows of seats. ln case of or other excitement the chairs'can be quickly thrown down into the fioor to permit of ready exit from the theater or auditorium.

laving thus described my invention what l claim is:

' 1. Il`he combination. with a floor having an opening, of a chair pivotally mounted adjacent to one end of the opening and adapted to swing down into and close the same, a platform adapted to close the vfloor opening when the chair is elevated and having its outer end slidably and pivotally mounted adjacent to the opposite end of the floor opening, and an arm actuated by the chair and pivotally connected to the inner end of the platform whereby the latter will be raised and lowered with the chair.

2. The combination with a floor having an opening, of a chair pivotally mounted adjacent to one end of the opening and adapted to swing down into and close the same, guides adjacent to the other end of the Hoor opening, a platform to close the floor opening when the chair is elevated, members carried by the outer end of the platform and slidably and pivotally engaged with said guides, and swinging arms actuated by the chair and pivotally connected to the inner end of the platform whereby the lat-ter will be raised and lowered with the chair.

3. The combination with a floor having an opening, of standards having offset or angular lower ends 8 pivotally mounted and provided with arms 33, said standards being adapted to swing down into the floor opening, a seat carried by said standards, means for locking said standards in theirl upright position, a platform to close the floor opening wnen the c lair is raised, the inner end of said platform being pivoted to said arms 33,'and means for mounting the outer end of the plat 'form for pivotal andl'slidirr movement.

4. The combination with a floor having an opening, of standards having offset or angular lower ends 8 pivotally mounted and provided with arms 33, said standards being adapted to swing down' into t'herfloor opening, a seat carried by said standards, means for locking said standards in their upright position, a platform to close the floor open-l lng when the chair is ra1sed, the in ner end ot sald platform being pivoted tosaid arms 33, guides and members projecting from the outer end of said platform and slidably and pivotally engaged with said guides.

5. The combination with a floor having an opening, of standards having the angular or orset ends tl provided with. the rms 255%, said beingpivctedto sw 'iownwardly into the floor opening, a seat carried by said standards, segmental guides for said standards, pawls pivoted to4 said standards and adapted to engage said guides to lock the standards in their upright position, and a platform to close the floor opening and actuated by said arms 33.

'6. The combination with a floor having an opening, of swinging standards, a keeper seat, a pawl pivoted to the standards to engage said keeper seat and loek the standards in an upright position, and a eliair earried by the standards and adapted to engage and aetuate the pawl.

7, The combination with a lloor having an opening, of swinging standards. a movable locking element earried by one of the stainlards to lock the same in their upright positions anda shdable ehalr upon the standards to engage and aetuate said loeklng element. t

'lh'e eontbination with a floor having an seats, pivoted pawls upon the standards to engage said keeper seats and retain thestandards in their upright position, a slidable chair bar-k upon the standz'trds to engage aml aetuate said pawls, means forloeking said ehair baek upon the standards, and a foldable seat earried by said eliair back.

.l. 'lhe eombination with a lloor having an opening, ofswingingstandartlstherein,keeper seats, pivoted pawls upon the standards to engage said keeper seats and retain the stand-I ards in their upright position, a slidable chair baek upon the. standards to engage. and aetuate said pawls, means for locking said ehair bat-k upon the standards, a foldable seat carried by said ehair haek, and a platform to elose the floor opening when the eliair is raised and controlled by the movementy of the chair.

lt). The eombination with a floor, of stand- ,fards having oll'set lower ends pivotally mounted, keeper seats, pawls pivoted on the,V

standards to engage said seats and lock the an opening, of standards `having` opening, of swinging standart is therein, keeper standards in an upright )osition and a chair proper upon the standards adapted to engage and operate said pawls.

l1. The combination with a floor having an opening, of swinging standards therein, a chair back adapted to close the floor opening, ehanneled members arranged on said chair baek and slidably engaged with the standards, the latter being provided with upper and lower sets of keeper openings, sliding bolts arranged in said ehannelt-id members and adapted to enter the keeper openings in the standards to loek the t-hair back to the latter, a rotary shaft arranged upon the chair bat-k and provided with an operating handle, a eross iieee tixed to said shaft, links between the em s of said cross piece and said sliding bolts, and a eoil spring surrounding said shaft and adapted to aetuate it in one direction. 12. 'llie combination with a floor having ivotall mounted ol'set lower ends provi ed wit short angular arms, segmental guides for said standards and formed with notches, pawls pivoted intermediate their ends on the standards and adapted to have their lower ends engage the notches in said guides, a slidable ehair baek upon the standards and adapted to engage the upper ends of the pawls and aetuate them, spring projected and hand retraeted looking means for securing the ehair baek in either its raised or lowered position, a folding seat earried by the ehair baek, a platform pivoted at its inner end between the arms atv the lower ends of the standards, downwardly and outwardly curved rods at the outer end of the platform,

'and guides to slidably and pivotally receive said rods, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. .ROBERT HERMAN GEHRKE. Witnesses:

FRED. G. ltossMAN, FRANK METeALF. 

